Coast Guard suspends search for 11 missing after Baja boat capsize; 16 rescued, shark bites reported

The US Coast Guard has suspended its search for 11 people still missing after a boat carrying 27 capsized off Mexico’s Baja California coast on Friday, ending an 89-hour operation that covered more than 2,441 miles of the Pacific. The Economic Times

“FINAL UPDATE: The Coast Guard suspended its search Sunday after rescuing 16 people from the water Friday. USCG, Mexico & USN searched more than 2,441 miles for a combined 89 hours,” USCG Southwest posted on X on October 19. The Economic Times

Sixteen people were pulled from the water on Friday after a mayday call at about 1am reported a vessel sinking roughly 140 miles west of Ensenada. At least three of those rescued sustained injuries consistent with shark bites, the Coast Guard told USA Today, and all 16 were Mexican nationals, the Mexican consulate in San Diego confirmed to the Associated Press. The Economic Times

“Suspending a search is never easy, and this was an exceptionally dynamic case, far offshore,” Captain Joseph Meuse said. The incident remains under federal investigation. The Economic Times

The vessel’s origin, destination and type are unknown. It went down in waters frequented by smugglers moving migrants toward the US — though the area is also popular with fishing and leisure boats — and was not in US waters, Coast Guard Lt. Santiago Tamburini said. A Navy helicopter reached the site about two hours after the mayday call, and crews took 90 minutes to pull the 16 survivors from the water. The Economic Times